Molecular Haemato-oncology

If you have chosen to participate in any Molecular Haemato-oncology EQA programme except Chimerism you will receive a lyophilised cell-line preparation for molecular analysis. Instructions for storage, reconstitution and use of the lyophilised sample will be included with the sample. Prior to reconstitution, the lyophilised cells are stable at ambient temperature however, once the cells are reconstituted they should be processed immediately.

Please note- all lyophilised samples provided within these programmes are for EQA purposes only.

If you have chosen to participate in the Chimerism programme (and in some circumstances Ig/TCR clonality trials) you will currently receive fresh blood samples. Upon receipt, these samples should be processed immediately to prevent any degradation of the DNA.

***New for 2022-2023***

As part of the continuous development of our EQA/PT provision we will be introducing several updates to our molecular haemato-oncology programmes in 2022-2023.

We will be launching a new programme - Measurable Residual Disease for AML by Molecular Methods (Pilot – Not Accredited), to assess laboratories’ ability to accurately detect and quantify MRD using the fusion genes: t(8;21) RUNX1::RUNX1T1, inv(16) CBFB::MYH11, and t(15;17) PML::RARA and canonical genomic variants in exon 11 of the NPM1 gene (NM_002520.7).

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Gene Panels (Pilot – Not Accredited) will expand to encompass a broader range of lymphoid malignancies which will necessitate a name change to Lymphoid Gene Panels (Pilot – Not Accredited).

Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome Gene Panels (Pilot – Not Accredited) will expand to encompass a broader range of myeloid malignancies which will necessitate a name change to Myeloid Gene Panels (Pilot – Not Accredited).

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Gene Panels (Pilot – Not Accredited) will be renamed Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Diagnostic Testing (Pilot – Not Accredited) and will be limited to testing of JAK2 p.Val617Phe, JAK2  exon 12, CALR  exon 9 and MPL exon 10 variants. Extended NGS panel data will be incorporated into the new Myeloid Gene Panels (Pilot – Not Accredited) programme - see above.

The FLT3 Mutation Status Programme will feature one additional sample per trial distribution for FLT3  tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) (p.Asp835/p.Ile836) analysis.

We will be increasing the number of rearrangements within the repertoire of the BCR::ABL1 and AML Translocation Identification programme. We will issue one educational sample per distribution in the 2022/2023 registration period.

Please see programme specific pages on our website for further details.

* denotes changes to the programme in 2022/2023